Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

Real-Time Bus Tracker Expands to Brooklyn and Queens

By Ben Fractenberg | February 24, 2014 1:42pm
 The MTA is bringing its real-time bus tracking system to Brooklyn and Queens starting March 9.
The MTA is bringing its real-time bus tracking system to Brooklyn and Queens starting March 9.
View Full Caption
Mario Tama/Getty Image

BROOKLYN — Staring down the block in the hopes your bus will magically appear may be a thing of the past for Brooklyn and Queens commuters.

The real-time bus tracker MTA Bus Time is coming to every bus route in the boroughs on March 9 — completing the process of rolling out the service citywide, the MTA said in a statement Monday.

Riders will be able to use their smartphones to see a map of where their bus is located and those without smartphones will be able to text to see how many stops away their buses are.

“MTA Bus Time has added a new dimension to bus travel in Brooklyn and Queens, completing installation citywide,” MTA Chairman and CEO Thomas F. Prendergast said in a statement. “MTA Bus Time allows you to use your computer or phone to 'Know Before You Go' to keep you informed of your bus expected arrival at the bus stop.”

GPS devices mounted inside buses will allow the MTA to keep track of each route. The information can be accessed through bustime.mta.info — where you can enter a bus route, intersection, street address, landmark or bus stop code — or through third party apps like All Aboard NYC and Google Maps, according to the MTA.

If you don't have a smartphone you will be able to text your intersection or street address to "511123." You will then receive a text listing all the local bus routes near you. Select one and you will then be told how close the nearest bus is.

Riders can also use their smartphones' QR Code readers on routes where the QR Code is printed on the bus stop's schedule.